Luggage construction, means and method for making same



Nov. 10, 1959 s. s. IKELHEIMER 2,912,080

LUGGAGE CONSTRUCTION, MEANS AND METHOD FOR MAKING SAME Filed March 24, 1958 Fe .2 12' .3 I? .4 Q26 22553 J LUGGAGE CONSTRUCTION, MEANS METHOD FOR MAKING SAME Gerald S. Ikelheimer, New York, NY.

Application March' 24, 1958, Serial No. 723,383 3 Claims. (Cl. 19053) This invention relates generally to luggage and more particularly to an improved construction thereof, means and method therefor.

It has been known to produce luggage and cases of various sizes and shapes in which the corners thereof are given a rounded profile. Suchconstruction in addition to providing an aesthetically pleasing appearancealso produces a corner which has superior durability, being thus enabled to stand blows and pressure of a higher magnitude without deforming or breaking. Such shaped construction has been accomplished by padding of a rigid form or by deforming a thermoplastic material, as for example, vulcanizing fibre. The use of such-materials and methods created higher cost and it is, therefore, amongthe present objects of the present invention to provide rounded corner case or luggage construction in which relatively lower cost base materials may be used, as for example, unvulcanized fibre.

Another object herein lies in the provision of structure of the class described which as completed presents an appearance comparable to that produced with more expensive methods and materials.

A still further object herein lies in the provision of means by which luggage or case panels may be produced with rounded corners wherein the material cannot normally be rounded in two planes, such as low cost unvulcanized fibre and reprocessed thermoplastic material, such as Royalite, and the like.

A'still further object of this'invention lies in the provision of means by which luggage or case panels may be produced with rounded corners, wherein the materials, such as vulcanized fibre, or metal laminated to vulcanized or unvulcanized fibre or cardboard, which can by various means be rounded in two planes, may be so rounded more economically. Vulcanized fibre for instance, is normally folded or formed by heating and soaking the material in a softening agent such as water and then inserting it into a normal drawing die. The vulcanized fibre is then drawn for a part of the way and then once again heated and soaked. It may be necessary to repeat this operation three or four times for even a shallow case panel. By means of the present invention, a single heating, soaking and drawing cycle only is necessary.

These objects and other incidental ends and advantages will more fully appear in the progress of this disclosure and be pointed out in the appended claims in the drawings in which similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing a case which is a first embodiment of the invention. 1

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view as seen from the plane X-X on Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view corresponding generally to Figure 2 but showing a second embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view corresponding generally to Figure 2 but showing a third embodiment of the invention.

Figure 5 is an exploded perspectiveview, partly fragmentary showing the die parts and a blank just prior to being formed. a

Figure 6 is a fragmentary bottom plan view of the upper die element.

Figure-7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view as might be seen from the plane 7-7 when the die elements are assembled and the ram die element has traversed part of its downward stroke.

Figure 8 is a sectional view, somewhat schematic, show- .ing the softening of the panel blank prior to forming.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view showing an alternate form of ram die element.

Turning to Figure 1, the case generally indicated by reference character 10 may, as far as the box portion 12 I .is concerned be manufactured in a manner the same as the cover 14 and for'the purpose of avoiding needless repetition, the manufacture of the cover 14 will be described in detail. The body panel 16 is preferably fabricated from a blank having approximately the same size and may be of the shape indicated at 16a in Figure 5 where it may be said to have an inner surface 15, an outer surface 16 and a peripheral edge 17. While I have shown the blank 16a as having rounded corners, they may be rectangular with degree corners, and these can be trimmed later in the process.

The panel 16 is provided with rounded corners indicated by reference character 20 and this rounding occurs both in the flange portion 21 and also where the relativelyplanar central portion 22 merges into the flange 21,

this curvature being indicated by reference character 23.

The flange 21 at the corners is provided with a plurality of corrugations which taper to nothing as they merge into the planar portion 22. The flange portion 21, as shown in Figure 2, may be secured to a band 25 which, in the position shown in Figure 1, may form the top wall, side wall and bottom wall portions of the cover 14. The inner edge 26 of the band 25 may be provided with an edge reinforcement 27, for example, in the form of a strip which is U-shaped in cross section. When made of metal the reinforcement 27 may be enamelled and row of rivets or stitches 30.

By virtue of this construction, the deepest and therefore the most conspicuous portions of the corrugations are concealed by the band 25 and where they taper off into nothing, :they are concealed by the rib or bead whichis exposed and which forms the outer edge of the welt 29. i

For the purpose of increasing the durability and resistance to excessive flexing, the cover 14 may be provided with embossed or formed ribs 18. These also enhance the appearance of the case 10.

This construction produces a finished looking article of manufacture and for certain purposes may be used unlined and for others may have any well known type of lining secured upon the inner surface thereof.

Turning to Figure 3, for the purpose of avoiding needless repetition, parts corresponding to the first described embodiment are given the same reference characters with the addition of a prefix 2. The embodiment shown on Figure 3 differs from the prior described embodiment principally in that the flange portion 221 laps outwardly of the band 225 and the welt 229 is disposed outwardly 3 of-the flange portion 221:

In-the-form* shown in Figure 4, hereagain' certainofthe parts are given the same reference characters as the prior described embodiment: with the addition of the prefix: 35;. This;formaresemblesntheaform in Figure-3 exceptythatttheweltz 3.294s. of. considerably; greaten width.

and extends on to the exterior surface of theacover: 314; An; additional row of-- stifches- 3.31: produces the; efieetr in the welt of a wide binding such as is frequently usedinluggage constructionthat. produces" both a protectiveand a decorative; effect.

Turningto Figure-8, there isseen arcontainer35. which. is provided with a sourceof heat 36. Preferably disposed. withimthe container 351area plurality. of supports 37. and uponthese-.there:is-shownmesting one of the-blanks l6a; The :blank 16a. may. be immersed1in-g a. suitable; liquid- 38, such as water, or may be subjected-to theactiOn-ofsimilar. softening; agents includingsteam. The action, of; the softening stepissuch as to make the blank 16a. sufficiently pliable-for alteration, in shapebythe: diesshown in Figure. 5. Theblank 16a is.subjected,to;thesoftening step onlysuificiently. to render it. adequately. pliable, but not: so much asto damage the-.finishithereof'. Thicker blanks require; longer; soaking and/or. higher-temperature.

Turning to Figure-5, there is seen1a bottom female;die 40 which; may haveprojecting upwardly; therefrom. a plurality of die guide-posts 41". The-uppersurface42of bottom female die 40. is provided with recesses 43-t0 coactwith; the projecting beads 4'4:on die 45. While shown as a separate die, die:40 maybeunitedor. integral The female die. set generally indicated. by: reference.- character. 47preferably'includes,thelower die element 48 and the upper die element 49. Element 48-.may beprovidedtwith a plurality of Iorifices. 50 whichpositionzthe. element- 48-on.theposts 41. The element 48; is preferably hollow and may contain a. chamber 51 which. may carrysteam from the supply pipes; 52. Die el'ement 48. has a central opening 53'which; is; of substantially: the. same. size. astheoutersurface of the flange portion, 21 (Figure 2) and at'the corners.54 thereof.is -providedt-with a plurality of ribs 5,6. which are, spaced from. each.other' by grooves 5.7 (Figure-;); The. depthsofthegroovesand thenumber. andspacing. of; the ribszmay b'e varied-to.v accommodate the thickness and, relative. deformability of the; blank 1.6a. The thicker and stifier the. material, thelarger thespacing between .the ribs so that;theimaterial" may corrugate while beingformcd; For example, with an unvulcanized fiberywhich isone sixteenth-.of; aninch thick, I- have. foundthat a; desired rounded: shape: is obtained-:with 14 ribs arranged'aboutqa; two and ;one half inch. radius, the.- ribs being; approximately, one; eighth; inch thick and. the spacing. between; them; at: the. bending lip; 58, being approximately one-quarter inch.

The upper die element 49 produces. a superior. result. but the same may-:beomitteddf sufiicient friction is producedupon the upper; surface of: the blank16a as the sameis pushed downwardly through the opening;;53-:by. theqram die element 45.. As shown. in Figure;7,',the1ribs 60- are arranged to coincide with. the: grooves. 57: while the grooves 61 are arranged to coincide with the ribst56r This aids in the; corrugatingproduced inthe blank 16a. Inor.der toprovide adequate tension; upon; the. blankz16a. as. it is formed,v downward; pressure: may be; provided; through which any suitable, means (mechanical or hy-. draulic, for example) presses upon theirods. 63; The particular die; element. 49.: is. reversible-,. it. being; understood. that. only; the; lower portionof; said die element contacts the blank 16a (Figure 7). Die element 49 may be provided with-a chamber 64 whichmay carry a heating medium such as steam provided by the pipes 65.

The ram die element 45 may have a chamber 68 which may be supplied with heating steam through the pipes 69 and said die element 45 may be forced downwardly by any suitable source of power acting upon the rod 70. The external size and spacing. of the vertical walls 71 and 72-of,die. element. 45.,are such as .to provide suitable clearance for the thickness of the material ofwhich the blank 16a is composed (Figure 7).

In use, the softened blank 16a is placedupon the upper surface of. the die element 48, and it is clamped in place either'by the die element '49or a pressure ring. This pressure may be supplied upon the'rods 63. Next, the die element 45 is pressed downwardly which forms the rounded corners by slightly stretching the material of the blank 16a and corrugating the excess material produced in the shaping of the flange portion 21 The blank 16 a;.rnay;be.dried;dueto'the heat in the; die elementssor may be removed from the die elements incompletely, driedand dried in-a separate chamber or by exposureto heat,

Turningto; the alternate form ofmale, dieshown; in

Figure-9; for thepurpose of avoiding needless repetition, certain=of the parts thereof corresponding to the earlier described form are giventhe samereference characters with thezaddition of a prefix.4. This die element-445 differs from theprior described; oneprincipally in the* inclusionofthe taperedprojections 480. These taperinwalfdlytoward the, under'or bottom surface of the die 445;-and.they areso arranged as to project into thegrooves57 so as to aid in the: formingof thecorrugations in thecover 14-. Y

I wish it to be understood. that I- do not desire to. be.

limited to the exact details of construction shown and described. for obvious'modifications will occur to-a person skilledin the art to;which the present inventionrelates.

1. Case construction comprising a body panel composed ofnormally planar material, said case having a main: surface of. substantially flat; shape, a peripheral flangeangularly disposed with.respect to said main sup-- face,rsaid1case as, the;main,surface merges into said flange having; aplurality. of. corrugations.

2. Case construction comprising a polygonal body.- panel having a corner, said: bodypanel being; composed of, normally planar material, said case. having. a main surface of; substantially flat shape, a, peripheral. flange angularly.disposedwith respect to saidmain surface, said, case as,themainsurface-merges'into said flangeat, said. corner. having aplurality of corrugations.

3. Case; construction comprising: abodypanelcom:

posed of normally planar fibre material, saidcase having; a.main .surface; ofsubstantially flat shape, a peripheral flangeangularlyv disposedwith respect to said; main surface, said case as the main; surface, merges-into said; flange having a plurality of corrugations.

References: Cited; in-the file ofthis, patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 820,976. Katzinger May 2 2, 1906 958,860 Dresner, May,- 24, 1910 972,113 Katzinger Oct. 4, 1910; 1,023,238 Becker; Apr; 16, 191-2, 1,881,517 Groehn V ,Oct, 11, 1932 2,176,738 Clark; .Oct;. 17, 1939 

